Goals galore for ambitious Gilmore
STEPHANIE Gilmore’s immediate goal may be on sealing a record-equalling seventh World Surf League title but her focus is already on Tokyo and sealing a spot in the inaugural Australian Olympic surfing team.
Gilmore was among several members of Surfing Australia’s national squad to take part in a training camp at the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch in California.
The Tweed athlete, who is chasing fellow Australian Layne Beachley’s record of seven world titles, spent three days at the Leemore facility training with Gold Coastbased Elite Program Manager Bede Durbidge.
“These camps are going to help all the potential Olympic athletes to perform at their best and that’s what it’s going to take to win gold medals,” Gilmore said of the facility which produces artificial swell.
“To have the support of the Australian Institute of Sport backing us to make a camp like this possible is incredible, and we as a group are already feeling the benefits.”
Byron Bay’s Matt Wilkinson also took part in the camp and said training at Surf Ranch, where the swell was guaranteed, would help “accelerate the level of surfing amongst the squad so quickly”.